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Book Review – Modern Printmaking by Sylvie Covey

Modern PrintmakingI have long been a fan of pens, inks and paper. I love writing instruments of all kinds, and the mediums upon which the written word is found, such as books, papers, parchments, and more.

My passion for words runs deep. And because it does, I was anticipating Modern Printmaking by Sylvie Covey. However, I was somewhat disappointed, not because of the book, but because it did not pique my curiosity like I had hoped it would.

Modern printmaking has flourished in recent years, as it has over the centuries. People have creatively used multiple mediums to print images and designs upon almost every medium. As the world rushes into the digital era, that has continued, although by different means.

This book, Modern Printmaking, is both a technical guide and an inspirational resource, looking at the ways that printmaking has occurred throughout the past and how it continues to flourish. It is a beautiful book, and very informative, teaching the reader a lot about the art of printmaking that they may or may not have already known.

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Coffee Break – 05.16.2016

Your Monday Dose Of Inspiration

On this day in history: In 1866, Congress authorized the first 5-cent piece to be minted. In 1888, the first demonstration of recording on a flat disc was demonstrated by Emile Berliner. In 1914, the American Horseshoe Pitchers Association (AHPA) was formed in Kansas City, Kansas. And, in 1929, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences hands out its first awards, in Hollywood, California.

Coffee Break

Brewing Cafe Quality Coffee At Home – Making coffee shop level coffee is not as hard as many assume it to be. There are three key ingredients: the coffee beans, the water, and the equipment you use. He recommends a Clever coffee dripper. I recommend a Hario V60. Both are inexpensive and simple to use.

The Art Of Fountain Pen Photography – I love fountain pens. And I love photography. Combining the two seems natural. And the results can be spectacularly beautiful.

Death Star Fire Pit – This is absolutely incredible. I really liked the Darth Vader fire pit, but this blows that away.

Marble Race – Because why not?

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Memorize Scripture: 1 Peter 1:3-4

Hiding God’s Word In Our Hearts

Once the greeting is complete, Peter jumps right into the most exciting and incredible news his readers could ever experience: the hope we have in the risen Christ!

Take a look at this amazing passage in 1 Peter 1:3-4.

1 Peter 1:3-4

The way Peter begins his letter is probably the most exciting of all the letters in the New Testament. The hope that we have in Christ is definitely exciting, but Peter’s enthusiasm here is contagious. And he wants his readers to understand just how amazing it really is.

First of all, we need to remember Peter’s past. This is the man who affirmed that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah, and then turned around and denied him three times. If anyone should be aware of the hope that Christ offers, Peter should. Because after Christ reaffirmed Peter’s role as a leader in the church, this man, this Rock, was never the same.

And that is very clear in this passage. Peter’s first statement is one of praise and worship of the Father and his Son. This is a common method of praise found in the Old Testament, and it shows Peter’s grasp of the Scriptures, but he pairs it here with the phrase “Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,” a title never revealed in the Old Testament.

Because of this relationship between the Father and the Son, we are the recipients of God’s great mercy. Peter compares this to a birth. Our first birth was to human parents; our second is into a living hope.

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Book Review – Code 13 by Don Brown

Code 13Don Brown has risen to the top of my list of favorite authors. His genre is military suspense, with a little bit of legal fiction mixed in. He is sort of a mix between Tom Clancy and John Grisham, two of my all time favorites.

Brown definitely delivers with his new book, Code 13. This is the second book in the Navy JAG series, and I am looking forward to future installments.

When I received this book, I noticed it was the second in the series. So I went back and purchased the first book, Detained. And, although I chose to read them in sequential order, they each stand alone on their own.

Code 13 is a prestigious, and little known, legal arm of the Navy, hidden in the depths of the Pentagon. A Navy JAG officer, Caroline McCormick, is newly assigned to Code 13, and is thrust into a whirlwind of events surrounding the legality of a military drone project over domestic areas. When a fellow JAG officer is killed, the stakes are raised even higher.

Don Brown weaves an incredible tale of mystery and suspense, packed with action. Code 13 is a difficult book to put down, and I was disappointed that I finished it so quickly. I’m definitely looking forward to the next one.

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Coffee Break – 05.09.2016

Your Monday Dose Of Inspiration

On this day in history: In 1671, in London, Thomas Blood, an Irish adventurer better known as “Captain Blood,” is captured attempting to steal the Crown Jewels from the Tower of London. In 1754, the first newspaper cartoon in America showed a divided snake “Join or die” in The Pennsylvania Gazette. And in 1962, a laser beam was successfully bounced off Moon for the first time.

Coffee Break

Making Cold Brew Coffee In A French Press – One of my favorite ways to make coffee is by cold brew. I have a Coffee Toddy, and I have experimented with other methods. This article shows how it can be done using a French Press.

10 Facts About The Jetsons – The Jetsons, along with Scooby-Doo, was one of my favorite cartoons as a kid. This futuristic family entertained me on Saturday mornings for years, and still does. Here are ten facts you probably didn’t know about the show.

Harriet Tubman – You may have heard that Harriet Tubman will soon replace Andrew Jackson on American currency. If you don’t know much about here, or forgot your history studies, here is a brief synopsis of her life.

Skylight – No matter where you are, in the city or in the country, mountains or oceans, the sky is the one constant. And there are some beautiful images in this timelapse that are simply beautiful.

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Memorize Scripture: 1 Peter 1:1-2

Hiding God’s Word In Our Hearts

Peter begins in the same way as every other letter found in the New Testament, with a greeting to his readers. And, also just like every other letter, there is an incredible amount of information hidden in these simple seeming verses.

You can see this passage in 1 Peter 1:1-2.

1 Peter 1:1-2

The first thing Peter does is identify himself, and then his readers. He is an apostle. He claims that authority in both of his letters, but does not issue a strong defense of that authority, as Paul must do in some of his letters. Peter’s apostolic authority is not in question here.

Next, Peter identifies who he is writing to. They are God’s elect. The term Peter uses here is rich in its heritage. The Jewish people were God’s chosen people. As the Old Testament transitioned into the New, Christians are identified as God’s chosen people. In fact, Peter will make this statement very clearly later in this letter (2:9). As God’s elect, Peter will encourage believers to live up to the holy standard that God requires, and his statement here hints at that.

The next phrase that Peter uses to describe his readers is the term “strangers.” The idea behind this word is descriptive of someone who is an exile, someone who is living away from their homeland. Peter’s use here indicates not that his readers are exiles from their native lands in Asia Minor, but that their homeland is not of this world. Our citizenship is in heaven.

The third descriptive term Peter uses is the term “scattered.” This is more literally translated as “dispersion.” The Jewish people were scattered from their homeland into countries all over the world. Peter’s use here is metaphorical, applying to Christians, who have also been scattered away from their homeland in heaven, to which we will soon return.